Parker ran into Qua'ra, before taking off again. He couldn't speak to her, not after what he just saw! He had to leave Zafna, before he lost his life, too. How could this happen? It was almost as if Aslan foresaw this coming to his Shadow Empire—now Qua'ra's Empire!
"PARKER!" Qua'ra shouted, trying to slow him down.
Parker wouldn't slow down. He had to leave. He had to be quick before he lost his footing again.
And so, he ran, sliding down a corridor and a corridor there in search of the exit. As he ran, blasters shot at him. He did his best to evade them, landing behind a pile of rubble in an effort to calm down.
"Ow!" He yelped. He looked at his arm. There was a hole in his sleeve, revealing a burn mark with some blood dripping out from the wound. His arm throbbed, making it difficult for him to do anything to cleanse it.
Oh, what was he to do now?
Trust your instincts, Parker! Don't let your guard down! Aslan's voice riveted through the air, drawing Parker back to reality.
The light red dragonoid checked his wound again. There was blood dripping freely from the wound, but much of it was healed. He didn't want to stare at the red stains on his white sleeve, for he feared the worst would come. He looked up again, noticing the blaster fire had slowed down until it eventually ceased.
By that time, his wound had completely closed and healed. He already felt a whole lot better now.
"Parker, I just want to talk! If you'll come out, we can explain things! I need you to understand who Melisandre was, what she's been doing to the realms and to the worlds!" Qua'ra shouted, trying to reason with him.
"A good friend wouldn't scare people! That's not how friendships work!" Parker cried, intensely.
Qua'ra laughed. "Wouldn't scare people? Parker, you frightened me when you were Maranguan. Don't forget! That's how our friendship started!" She asked, reasonably, "Parker, if you come out, we can discuss this. Please don't leave me alone again. You'll start a chain reaction that could very well end this Shadow Empire. Is that what you want? To lose the only empire we ever built? What about my family?"
Parker stood up, staring at his friend in agony. "What would you choose? The Shadow Empire will fall either way! It was this way before I came to the First Age! Think about that!" He added, sharply, "We used to be friends, Qua'ra. Are we still like that now?"
Qua'ra nodded. Parker didn't like the silence, but it happened anyway.
"You're treading down a dark path, but I suppose these temples started crumbling before you came," Qua'ra said, knowing she had to let him go. "We're still friends, Parker! Even if you cannot see that yet. I still have a good heart! I didn't abandon you! You left to fight Vitiate, but you didn't return here until now. That was your choice, but it's also my fault that I didn't go with you. So now, we both have to pay the price for our mistakes.
"Go! Learn the truth. Find Alindor. You'll see I'm right," Qua'ra said, watching as a gold-rimmed portal appear behind Parker.
"Thank you. I won't forget this kindness," Parker said, turning to the portal and getting ready to walk through it.
"When you see Aslan," Qua'ra said, getting the light red dragonoid's attention, "tell him I'm sorry it ended this way. I blame Jine for starting this chain reaction, really. It's not your fault."
Parker faced her, knowing she spoke the truth. Even he had to admit that maybe the rumors were untrue about her, that there was still good in her.
"So Jine's responsible for this?" Parker said. Qua'ra nodded. Parker added, "I'll see to it she'll pay for what she's done."
"Just not out of revenge, right?" Qua'ra asked, curiously.
"It won't be out of vengeance, but she will pay for what she did to me and now to you," Parker said, giving her a small grin. "I'll see you soon, and then I'll help you flee this planet before something happens to it."
"Good luck, Parker Dooley. May we meet again," Qua'ra said, watching Parker escape the temple via portal.
Qua'ra didn't know what happened, but one thing was clear: they couldn't go back to the way things were. Some things were bound to change eventually.